Jim Riordan, Director of the MBA Sport Management program at Florida Atlantic University, joins Cheddar Reveals to break down the successes, failures, and chaos of the first seven months of the Name, Image, Likeness policy in college athletics.

Cheddar Reveals

The State of College Recruiting Might Change Forever

Welcome back to Cheddar reveals, brought to you by curiosity stream. Now, N I. L. Is nearly seven months old. It's rollout has been uneven, but the effects have been mostly beneficial to those. It's supposed to help the most joining us. Now. Dr Jim Reardon, director of the NBA Sport management program at florida atlantic university. DR Reardon, thanks so much for being on the show. As we mentioned, months into the dawn of the name image likeness era of amateur athletics. How has it worked out so far for schools and athletes? Well, great. Thanks for having me. I think the big takeaway I've I've received um, from the roll out here is that a lot more student athletes have been able to get involved and are able to participate in the thought and feeling was that it would just be for the power five schools for the major revenue generating that sports that people really wouldn't pay attention to some of the, what I call olympic sports, swimming, diving, golf. Um, in a sense, baseball, but you know, depending on where you are in the country and where your school is located and what conference you're in? Um, that that's really not been the case. I mean, everyone has been able to get a piece of the pie, so to speak and that's that's been very uh, a good surprise for me. Yeah, I want to talk about the regional component of this. All the rule out of N. I. L. Policies has been called a bit disorganized with calls for the N C double A. Or even congress to step in with a set of rules just nationally instead of the current state by state provisions that we see. So what do you think are some of the biggest challenges or concerns that have arisen in this space because of that? Well many, many years ago before you and I were born there was a war that took place called the war between the states. And I think that's what what's going to happen now is you have 50 states um Eventually we'll have 50 unique laws and ordinances regarding N. I. L. Now right now, Only 22 states. I'm sorry there are 22 states that do not have N. I. L. Laws and the N. C. A. And the government has left it up to the schools themselves to regulate that. The N. C. A. Has rewritten their constitution as recently as a few weeks ago and they're giving more autonomy to the conferences and the schools to monitor themselves. So I think that's what's coming in. They're gonna have more of a say and allowing and and allowing students to do what they do and again get involved. Um what I think is I've been saying it since, you know, they started talking about this and it's been a while um you know that there needs to be a congressional involvement. There needs to be a federal law mitch McConnell, Senator mitch McConnell has said, yeah we agree. But he's gone back to the N. C. A. People in the athletic directors and give us a framework and you know basically the ball's in your court. Well um the N. C. A. Really hasn't gotten into that yet and now that you're having an election year, no one's really gonna want to take that up. So to avoid the craziness. So you know, instead of students now looking at schools and being recruited by schools, they're going to be recruited by states based on the attractiveness of their of their N. I. L. Laws and like you know a place like Alabama will always not have a problem getting the top talent. Okay whether you have N. I. L. Or not but you look at you A. B. And Samford University in Alabama, students are gonna say, hey look some you know some really great laws there some you know really great benefits. I'm going to go there because it's in the state of Alabama. So you're getting recruited by a state as opposed to a school if you leave the set up the way it is right now you set me up perfectly for the next question which was N. I. L. Not really meant to be used as a recruiting tool but it's becoming that in many cases how do you think we've seen it affect smaller schools and historically black colleges and universities. Even just in the early months of this policy. Well even in the early months and even as recently as this week um the hbcu historically black colleges and universities are getting getting involved in the act. Grambling State University has just signed on a deal for all of their athletes, their entire athletic department. So more and more things are getting done with the H. B. C. U. S. Um you know, I think with the smallest schools in Division two and 3, I think you know what you have, even in the largest schools. You know, well, you know, we talk about collectives organizations that come together and sign athletes or entire athletic departments to deals, but again, it's not just on the power five or the mid major. Um it's getting into Division two and Division three where you have alumni that are empathetic towards their students, the students of their alma mater and they want to help them out too. So it doesn't matter what level they're going to get involved as well. So I think going forward, I think this is going to benefit everyone on on all levels. Yeah. Doctor just about a minute left with you. But I think a lot of people forget that these college athletes do not have agents or representation what our schools doing to make sure they protect their students while they're landing these NHL deals. I'm gonna give you another history lesson here. Um We're gonna go back to uh a thing called the Oklahoma Land rush. Okay. Um Where people lined up at the starting line and there was going to be free land given to people, and it was like a race. Well, when n. I L came into being, uh you know, you talk about a cottage industry forming, there was companies forming all over the place, you couldn't keep up with them, you know, every day or every other day. They were formed to help not only the students, but to help manage the school's involvement as well. So like with anything in sports, we've seen people that maybe not with the highest character or a moral fiber, try and get involved and take advantage and make a buck, But I on off the students. But I think there's enough good companies out there now that are looking out after the students trying to help them get together. I mean, there is a fee, but what from what I've seen, the average fee that goes back to the students is about 80%. And basically, the you know the fee for the company's is around 20 dr Jim Reardon, director of the NBA sport management program at florida Atlantic University. Thank you so much for that perspective